A Celebration of Art Builds a Financial Future for Philadelphians

Philadelphia is known for a lot of things, including Rocky, the Liberty Bell, and cheesesteaks. But one of its most impressive contributions across the centuries has been its public art—a tradition that continues today with its stunning (and ever-growing) collection of street murals.

“壁画是费城的重要组成部分,钱德拉·威廉姆斯说, 澳博官方网站app社区经理, 谁是在这个城市出生长大的. “它们在我们的社区中根深蒂固. 它带来了一种自豪感，有这样美丽的, 社区启发的艺术作品在我们的日常生活."

It's a legacy that continues today through the efforts of 壁画艺术费城, 全国最大的公共艺术项目. 基于艺术激发改变的理念, the organization installs 75 murals a year throughout Philadelphia.

And walls around the city aren't the only place where Mural Arts is igniting change. 该组织还管理着公会, 这是与涂鸦艺术家合作的成果吗, offers paid apprenticeships for individuals recently released from prison.

当澳博官方网站app进入费城市场时, we sought out the 'best in class' non-profits that the community rallies around,Lisl Stanton说, Vice President for Community Sponsorships at 澳博官方网站app. “壁画艺术费城 was always one of the first organizations people talked about, 所以我们找到了他们, 问我们能帮什么忙."

从街头到城墙的伙伴关系

The answer was simple: Mural Arts wanted to create a mobile art studio that would bring art classes to the underserved communities within the city. 与费城公园和娱乐中心合作, teaching artists offer three-week sessions at a rec center, bringing with them everything needed for community members to make art that represents themselves and their community. The program also brings activity kits to children throughout the city through Playstreets—designated streets that are closed for play. Designed to help Philadelphia's kids create art on their own, the traveling studio serves over one thousand children annually.

The mobile art studio and children's activity kits were just the beginning of the bank's partnership with 壁画艺术费城. 澳博官方网站app(澳博官方网站app)资助了Art Ignites Change播客, and provided coloring books and art kits for children stuck at home during the pandemic. 这种关系在2021年10月继续, 澳博官方网站app赞助了壁画艺术月, 这是费城为期一个月的公共艺术庆典.

“We couldn't do our work without great corporate sponsors like 澳博官方网站app,简·戈尔登说, 费城壁画艺术的执行董事. “通过我们的壁画, 我们可以把整个城市的费城人联系起来, 向他们展示他们的生命是有价值的, 他们的声音很重要. 蔡斯是其中的一部分."

一个月的庆祝

Mural Arts Month 2021 was especially important this year: In 2020, 该活动因疫情而取消. The city needed art—as well as a reminder of the strength of its citizens. 考虑到这一点, 费城壁画艺术选择了“韧性”这个主题, to celebrate the strength Philadelphians showed during the pandemic.

As part of Mural Arts Month, the organization hosted 30 events throughout Philadelphia. 除了三幅壁画, 有缩放小组讨论, 他们2021年奖学金的艺术品展览, 还有壁画之旅. Mural Arts even held some fall festivals in neighborhoods around the city.

In addition to sponsoring the event, 追逐 also commissioned a mural for its branch in Exton, PA. 工作, 我们无处不在(第二部分, 艺术家玛丽安·贝利, is a continuation of a piece at the Philadelphia International Airport, 并展示了黑人女性在不寻常的情况下:跳伞, 空间, 水肺潜水, 甚至在阳光下放松. 在设计壁画之前, Bailey immersed herself in the area to ensure she captured the heart and soul of the neighborhood. “The mural depicts the fact that black folks have been, and will always be, everywhere," she said.

On October 28, Chandra Williams attended the dedication of 宣言, a mural conceived by artists Dwayne Reginald Betts and Titus Kaphar. Some of the painters involved with the project were members of the Guild program. A juxtaposition of the promise of Philadelphia's colonial history and the racial struggles that have followed throughout America's history, the mural balances the 宣言 of Independence's bold claim that "All men are created equal" against the three-fifths compromise, which determined that African American slaves would be counted as 3/5 of a person to determine population for representation in the House of Representatives.

提供财务外展服务

Williams estimates there were up to 75 people at the events she attended, 她很荣幸能参加这些活动. “费城是一个草根城市，”她说. “当我们支持当地组织时, 澳博官方网站app成为当地经济的一部分, and we have the opportunity to become a community bank instead of a 'big bank.'"

Partnering with Mural Arts has also given Williams the chance to work with Morris Home, a residential recovery program offering comprehensive services for trans- and gender-nonconforming individuals. The group works with 壁画艺术费城 through the Porch Light program, which focuses on health and wellbeing for those dealing with mental health issues or trauma.

As part of Williams' job, she also provides financial workshops to groups she partners with. 在这种情况下, she's working with the Restorative Justice program through 壁画艺术费城, 还有莫里斯大厦.

“We're delivering financial health to them," Williams says. “我们在教他们储蓄, 101年信贷, and that it's important that when they receive their checks, 他们的财务状况也很健康."